Construction Begins for American Cruise Lines' Fourth New Coastal Cat

American Cruise Lines on Monday announced construction has begun on American Legend, the fourth new Coastal Cat in the company’s Project Blue series.

Described by American Cruise Lines as a "nimble go-anywhere ship", the 100-guest American Legend is being built for coastal operation and features a new hull design that is a hallmark of the series. All American’s new Coastal Cats are being built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md.

The first three ships in the series—American Eagle, American Glory and American Liberty—are scheduled to begin sailing in the next 12 months, followed by the the 19th new small ship in American’s fleet, American Legend, slated to begin cruising in late 2024.

American Legend will feature 56 staterooms and suites, each with a furnished private balcony, as well as spacious inside and outdoor lounges, an open-air top deck and multiple dining venues. It is also being built with a wide activity platform at the stern, equipped with kayaks and a large tender for in-depth adventure directly from the ship.  

First announced in January 2022, American's Project Blue series is a set of 12 small ships designed to sail domestic cruise itineraries.

American Cruise Lines, which operates a U.S. flagged fleet of both riverboats and small cruise ships, said it has grown substantially in the past several years amid a resurgence in the U.S. river cruise market. The company has nearly tripled its fleet over the past five years.